Clinical goals from Fabio Grosso and Alessandro Del Piero ended Germany's World Cup dreams in the semi-finals, with Italy winning 2-0.

The two teams arguably put on the game of the tournament in Dortmund, where fans saw 90 minutes of adventurous, chance-filled football which ended 0-0 so went to extra-time.

Lukas Podolski wasted a fine headed opportunity in the extra period before Gianluigi Buffon's stunning save denied him.

And that laid the platform for Italy's stunning late salvo, which saw Grosso break the deadlock with a stunning curled shot before Del Piero sidefooted home in the last minute to ensure there would be no penalty shootout drama.

Italy settled into the game more quickly than the hosts, and Jens Lehmann had to be alert to save Francesco Totti's long-range drive.

Germany were soon also into their stride, though, and Michael Ballack fired high and wide after some fine build-up play on eight minutes.

Lehmann was again called into action on 16 when Totti's throughball released Simone Perrotta, whose touch was too heavy and allowed the Arsenal keeper to rush out and block his shot.

Andrea Pirlo was providing high-quality delivery from free-kicks and after Marco Materazzi and Totti wasted two set-pieces, Mauro Camoranesi sent a glancing header narrowly over the crossbar.

The best chance of the half fell to the Germans, though, when fine combination work between Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski set up Bernd Schneider in the box, from where he drilled a shot inches over.

Jurgen Klinsmann's troops carried that momentum into the second half and dominated the early stages, with Klose's jinking run only ended by a brave save from the impressive Gianluigi Buffon on 50 minutes.

It was then Podolski's turn to go close, sharply turning to create an opening on 62 but again being denied by a fine Buffon parry before Arne Friedrich blazed the rebound into the crowd.

Heading into the last 20 minutes of normal time both coaches rang the changes, with Bastian Schweinsteiger and David Odonkor coming on for the Germans and Alberto Gilardino replacing Italy's Luca Toni up front.

But it was Perrotta who found himself bearing down on Lehmann five minutes from time, only to see the Gunners star punch the ball clear before also stopping the Roma man's charge in brutal fashion.

The pace of the game visibly dropped in the dying stages as both teams reserved their energy for an extra 30 minutes of pulsating football.

And in the first three minutes of extra-time Italy twice struck the woodwork, with Gilardino cutting in from the byline and hitting the upright before Gianluca Zambrotta's fierce half-volley skimmed the crossbar.

Italy were dominating possession but a swift German counter-attack on 105 minutes saw Odonkor's cross find Podolski free in the box - and he somehow steered his effort wide of the target despite being unmarked.

That lifted the Germans for the final 15 minutes and Podolski was again the dangerman, seeing a left-footed drive superbly tipped over by Buffon.

But a game of such high drama and quality did not deserve to be settled by a penalty shootout - and Grosso and Del Piero ensured it wouldn't.

Pirlo's stinging shot was parried by Lehmann on 118 minutes - but the keeper was beaten twice in the last two minutes, first by a delicous left-footed curler by Grosso and then by a clinical right-footed finish from Juventus star Del Piero, who sent the Italians marching into the final.